Pro-government forces, led by the Syrian Army Tiger Forces, have made significant progress against ISIS in the province of Aleppo. Last weekend, government troops liberated the Jirah Military Airbase after few days of clashes with ISIS terrorists. ISIS attempted to counter attack at the military airbase and near Jirah Saghir village but failed to achieve its goals. The Syrian Army reportedly lost a T-55 battle tank, a BMP-1 armoured vehicle and a technical armed with a 23mm gun in these clashes.

The military airbase was the last major ISIS stronghold on the way to the important ISIS-held town of Maskaneh that will likely become the next target of the government advance in the province of Aleppo. Advancing through Maskaneh, government troops would reach an area controlled by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Tabqah countryside in the province of Raqqah. This will also allow to secure a large chunk of the Ithriyah-Aleppo road.

Meanwhile, ISIS deployed reinforcements in the area between the Jirah Military Airbase and near Maskanah. Thus, it became clear that the terrorist group was going to defend this important town seriously.

The Syrian Army and the National Defense Forces liberated a large area in eastern Damascus from militant groups after a successful military operation in Qaboun and reaching a withdrawal agreement with militants and their families in Thishreen.

A militant infighting continued in Eastern Ghouta where the Al-Rahman Corps and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a joint attack on positions of Jaish al-Islam in the Misraba area. This was a continuation of tensions appeared among militant groups after they failed to retake the industrial area south of Qaboun from government forces.

The SDF advanced further against ISIS terrorists in the province of Raqqah, capturing the villages of Atshana, al-Malali, Abu Khabret al-Rachid, Mazrat al-Ansar, Khirbat al-Khan and reaching an abadoned military base north of the ISIS self-proclaimed capital. Thus, SDF units deployed in about 4 km from the entrance to the city. If the base is captured, it will be a start of clashes in the vicinity of Raqqah and will mark a preparation for the first phase of its storm.

Excellent, but very slow process. Maybe Russia would need to provide another 100 war planes to really make a significant advance in military offensively capability. However, it looks like that Russia also does not want thing happen fast, and it does not want a total military victory.

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gustavo What you write is correct, too slow, both Russia and Iran are keeping Syria hanging.

Jens Holm

Well, they have their own problems too, and help is expensive too. But they are and hesbollah too. Assads would be gone witout them.

Jonathan Cohen

I would just as soon see Russian pilots remain in the planes as they are less likely to turn on YPJ or attack their abortion rights. Does Syria even have 100 spare, trained pilots and maintenance crews?

Jens Holm

You expect too much and too many plans are not supported well or even bad. There is not targets for 100 plans at all and You loose to many armed vehicles such ad s tanks, because You still cant handle warfare with them.

You command system as well as the soldiers are not learned from birth to be effective, but has to be too much under command, and the cfommand is mainly far away from and armchair as well.

You could go to the palmyra Octupus. It cost You a lot of ressources. One things is ISIS defending themselves, but You have very long supply lines.

You also move troops too much and too unclever. Very strange even having a great lack of fuel for it.

I have registrated some better structure for SAA, but its still too small changes.

I can partly confirm that russia hasnt said, they would help Assads having all Syria back. They have promised 100%, that Assads would be there, so they could keep their at least to bases and probatly also some oil and pipeline ditto.

So they help now, but seems to be more behind the lines as help for general upgrade.

Valery Grigoryev

The main reason of slow moves is a lack of SAA manpower. It’s not possible to win the war by means of aircraft operations only and without serious ground forces. Remember Vietnam war.

Hisham Saber

As always, good job Southfront. Thank you

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Taking back areas is very good news especially in Damascus.

It is equally important to keep hold of the gains and remove all Militants aka Terrorists from Syria.